Container with integrated scrubbing element

ABSTRACT

A device for dispensing material is described. The device includes a container to hold material to dispense and an opening in the container through which the material in the container is dispensed. The device also includes a scrubbing element covering the opening to incorporate the material into a surface. The device also includes a handle integral to the container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a hand held device for applying a material and more particularly relates to a device including an integrated scrubbing element for applying the material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many consumer cleaning devices have a limited lifespan. Upon expiration, these products may function less effectively or clean less thoroughly than desired. However, because the decrease in functionality is gradual, it may be challenging for consumers to recognize when a product has gone from being effective to ineffective or to recognize when replacing the product would provide an increase in functionality.

Moreover, many consumer cleaning devices accumulate bacteria and contaminants over their useful life. Such contamination and bacteria growth may be reduced by periodically cleaning and/or sterilizing the device. However, as with determining the useful life of a product, a consumer may be unaware of when to perform the cleaning activity to reduce accumulation of contaminants.

Accordingly, it is desirable to indicate to consumers of an expiration of a useful life of a consumer cleaning device. In addition, it is desirable to indicate to consumers when to replace older devices that have accumulated contaminants. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device for dispensing a material is described. The device includes a container to hold the material to be dispensed and an opening in the container through which material in the container is dispensed. The device also includes a scrubbing element covering the opening to incorporate the material into a surface. The device also includes a handle integral to the container.

A system for applying a fluid to skin is described. The system includes a container with an opening for dispensing fluid and a handle integrally formed in the container. The handle is defined by a channel through a portion of the container. The container also includes a scrubbing element connected to the container near the opening. Fluid dispensed from the opening contacts the scrubbing element.

A device for dispensing a material is described. The device includes a container to hold a material and an opening in the container through which the material is dispensed. The device includes a sealed passage passing through the container that forms a handle in a portion of the container. The device also includes a scrubbing element to incorporate the material onto a surface. The scrubbing element is disposed near the opening. Material dispensed from the container contacts the scrubbing element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein numbers denote similar but not necessarily identical elements.

The following figures are provided to illustrate various aspects of one or more examples and do not limit the scope of the claims.

FIG. 1A is an external side view of a device with an integrated scrubbing element according to one example of the principles described herein.

FIG. 1B is a cross sectional side view of the device of FIG. 1, according to one example of the principles described herein.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a device with an integrated scrubbing element according to another example of the principles described herein.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are a front view and a side view, respectively, of a device with an integrated scrubbing element according to another example of the principles described herein.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a device with an integrated scrubbing element according to another example of the principles described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description of the invention.

Consumer cleaning devices gradually wear out, resulting in reduced cleaning effectiveness, increased cleaning time, and increased work for users. However, because the decrease in effectiveness can be gradual, it can be challenging to notice when replacing a worn device will result in improved results. Additionally, cleaning devices can accumulate contaminants, including bacteria, which can apply additional bacteria to a surface in subsequent cleanings. Periodic cleaning of the cleaning devices can reduce this accumulation of contaminants but may not be effective or cost effective.

Accordingly, it is desirable to have a cleaning device that includes a way of identifying the end of the effective life of the cleaning element. The present disclosure describes a device with a container for holding a cleaning product and a cleaning element attached to the device. The cleaning product is dispensed from the container and used with the cleaning element. When the container is depleted, the effective life of the cleaning element may have expired, providing an intuitive reminder to dispose of the cleaning element.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are side views of a device with an integrated scrubbing element (130) according to one example of the principles described herein. Specifically, FIG. 1A is an external side view. The device includes a container (110) to hold a fluid. The container (110) includes an opening (120) to dispense fluid from the container (110). Attached to the outside of the container (110) is a scrubbing element (130). The scrubbing element (130) may be near the opening (120). The scrubbing element (130) receives the fluid dispensed from the container (110). In other words as fluid is dispensed through the opening (120) it comes into contact with, and is temporarily held in, the scrubbing element (130). The scrubbing element (130) facilitates applying the fluid to a surface. The container (110) includes a handle (140), the handle (140) being formed by a passage (150) through the container (110).

The container (110) accommodates material that can be dispensed onto the scrubbing element (130) attached to the container (110). The scrubbing element (130) can then be used to apply the material. The container (110) may be used to dispense a wide variety of materials, including fluids. The term fluid should be understood to characterize a material that may be placed in the container (110) and dispensed through the opening (120). Accordingly, the fluid may include: liquids, colloids, slurries, pastes, gels, creams, suspensions, emulsions, and other mixtures of liquids and/or solids. The fluid may include a body wash, a soap, a shampoo, a conditioner, a dye, an insect repellant, a sunscreen, a topical medication, a skin care product, baby oil, mineral oil, plant oil, a hard surface cleaner, a household cleaner, a bathroom cleaner, a duster, a cleaning agent, a polish, a detergent, a viscosity agent, and/or a colorant.

The device may be sold with a fluid in the container (110) or the device may be sold empty. The device shape and size may be adjusted depending upon the intended fluid.

The container (110) may be formed from a variety of materials including glass, metal, ceramics, polymers, natural fibers, composites, etc. The container (110) may be a bottle or reservoir. For example, the container (110) may be a polymer container (110). Examples of formation of a polymer container (110) include blow molding, injection molding, thermoforming, and other polymer-forming techniques. A variety of polymers may be used to form the container (110) including polyethylene (PE, HDPE, LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVD), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), as well as mixtures, derivatives, and/or specialty polymers such as post-consumer resin (PCR), SBC, and bioplastics. In one example, the container (110) is formed from polyethylene or a mixture of polyethylene and other materials. The container (110) may be opaque or transparent. In some examples, the container (110) includes a window or similar portion for assessing the level of fluid in the container (110).

The size of the container (110) may be based on a number of factors. Examples of these factors include anticipated fluid, storage capacity, user fatigue, and ease of use. For example, containers (110) that are excessively large may unduly fatigue the user while containers (110) that are excessively small may be unable to hold a sufficient volume, resulting is depletion of the fluid before the lifetime of the scrubbing element (130) is reached. Further, containers (110) that are too small may also have trouble accommodating a human hand as described below. In some examples, the size of the container (110) is selected to correspond with the expected useful life of the scrubbing element (130). In some examples, the container (110) may hold between 0.25 pound and 10 pounds of fluid. For example, the container (110) may hold between 1 to 5 pounds or 1.5 to 3 pounds of fluid. As the size of the container (110) may depend on the useful life of the scrubbing element (130), the size of the container (130) may depend upon the selected scrubbing element (130), the product, the expected lifetime of the scrubbing element (130), and the intended use of the device. Accordingly, larger and smaller devices may be used. For instance, containers (110) that utilize a small amount of dispensed fluid with a fragile scrubbing element (130) may use a small container so that the amount of fluid in the container correlates with the lifetime of the scrubbing element (130). A smaller container (100) may also be used when the fluid is in a concentrated form with the expectation that during use the product be used with water to dilute the fluid, such as in the shower, bath, or sink.

An opening (120) is located in the container (110) to allow fluid in the container (110) to be dispensed, for example onto the scrubbing element (130). While FIG. 1 depicts the opening (120) in a particular location on the container (110), the opening (120) may be on an end of the container (110), on the side of the container (110), on a corner of the container (110), and/or some other portion of the container (110). For example, the opening (120) may be located near the scrubbing element (130). In one example, the scrubbing element (130) may cover the opening (120). The scrubbing element (130) may be located below the opening (120) in the orientation expected during use. This facilitates dispensing material, such as a fluid, from the container (110) onto the scrubbing element (130). For example, a body cleansing container (110) may be expected to be turned upside-down so as to facilitate gravitational flow of the fluid out of the container (110). In this example, the scrubbing element (130) may be located below the opening (120) so that as fluid flows out of the container (110) through the opening (120) it is dispensed onto the scrubbing element (130). In some examples, a valve is provided to regulate the flow of material through the opening (120). The valve may close the opening (120). The valve may only be able to increase or decrease the rate of material through the opening (120).

In one example, the opening (120) is a single opening (120), while in other examples, the opening (120) includes a number of openings (120). The openings (120) may be of uniform size or varying sizes. The opening (120) may include features to direct the dispensed material in a pattern or distribute the fluid over the scrubbing element (130). For example, the opening (120) may include a number of small passages that distribute the dispensed fluid. As another example, the opening (120) may direct fluid into a slot that allows the fluid to distribute in one direction on the scrubbing element (130), for instance, transverse to the direction of scrubbing. Other examples include openings (120) that dispense the fluid near the scalp while the scrubbing element (130) engages the hair and openings (120) that deliver the fluid to the edges of the scrubbing element (130) or to a central portion of the scrubbing element (130).

The opening(s) (120) may be sized so that when the device is held static, it does not dispense fluid and when a portion of the device is compressed, fluid is dispensed. In an example, the opening(s) (120) is sized to dispense fluid when the container (110) is held in one orientation but not dispense fluid when the container (110) is held in another orientation. For instance, the user may invert or rotate the device to dispense material onto the scrubbing element (130) and return the device to an upright orientation to inhibit an expulsion of the material.

The scrubbing element (130) facilitates application of the fluid. The scrubbing element (130) is located near the opening (120) of the container (110). In some examples, the scrubbing element (130) covers the opening (120), either partially or completely. The scrubbing element (130) may be selected from a wide variety of shapes and forms depending on the contents to be dispensed from the container (110). For instance, the scrubbing element (130) may include: a loofah (also spelled luffa), an exfoliating loofah, a sponge, a scrub brush, a mophead, a feather duster, or a number of irregularities. In some examples, the scrubbing element (130) is attached to the container (110). The scrubbing element (130) may be attached to the container (110) in a variety of ways. For example, the scrubbing element (130) may be over molded onto the container (110); the scrubbing element (130) may be mechanically attached or interlocked with the container (110); the scrubbing element (130) may be attached with adhesive. Examples of mechanically attaching the scrubbing element (130) to the container (130) include using pins, rods, screws, plugs, connectors and/or other mechanical devices. The scrubbing element (130) may be molded into the container (110) during forming or thermally attached to the container (110).

In one example, the scrubbing element (130) is a loofah that is over molded using a silicone rubber, onto the container (110). The over molding may provide additional, non-uniform scrubbing elements (130) with a different flexibility than the loofah. In another example the scrubbing element (130) is a scrub brush incorporated onto the container (110). The scrub brush including bristles with uniform or varying properties (e.g. stiffness, length). The scrubbing element (130) may be a sponge, loofah, or exfoliating loofah that is part of a frame. The frame may provide different support to different parts of the sponge, loofah, or exfoliating loofah providing a range of applied force across the scrubbing element (130). Those characteristics specifically described, and other characteristics of the scrubbing element (130), may be selected based on the type of fluid in the container (110) and the purpose of application.

The handle (140) may be formed in the container (110) by a passage (150) passing through the container (110). The passage (150) may be a sealed channel passing through a portion of the container (110) as depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In other words, the handle (140) may be defined by a passage through the container (110) and an exterior wall of the container (110). The handle (140) accommodates grasping of the container (110), for example by a human hand. For example, a user may pass fingers through the passage (150) while the palm of the hand remains on an exterior surface of the container (110). A user may firmly grasp the device by the handle (140) to move the device, for example to dispense the fluid, or use the device to agitate the scrubbing element (130) to incorporate the fluid onto a surface such as skin or fabric. The handle (140) may include grip elements to facilitate use of the container (110). For example, the grip elements may enhance friction of the handle (140) making it easier to hold, especially when wet. Examples of grip elements include texturing, ridges, bumps, silicone or other rubber features, and finger grooves. As the handle (140) is formed out of the container (110), the handle (140) may be hollow and connected to the container (110) allowing it to hold fluid deposited in the container (110). In some examples, the depth of the container (110) is approximately an inch to allow the handle (140) to be easily held in an adult hand. The depth of the handle (140) may be different from the depth of other portions of the container (110). The handle (140) may be thinner than the non-handle portions of the container (110). Alternately, the handle (140) may be deeper compared with the non-handle portions of the container (110), for example when the container (110) volume is small.

The handle (140) may be oriented such that the longitudinal axis of the handle (140) is parallel to the long axis of the device. The handle (140) may be oriented such that the axis of the handle (140) and the long axis of the scrubbing element (130) are parallel. While FIGS. 1A and 1B depict a particular orientation, the handle (140) may have a different orientation with regards to the scrubbing element (130) or the device.

The container (110) may include more than one handle (140) such that that the different handles (140) are sized to accommodate different sized hands or different orientations. The device may be symmetrical, incorporating two handles (140) of equal size. In one example, two handles (140) are formed on opposite sides of a single passage (150). In another example, there may be two or more passages, (150) each forming a handle (140) that allows manipulation of the device.

The passage (150) passes through the container (110) to form the handle (140) of the container (110). In other words, the handle (140) is defined at least in part, by the passage (150) through the container (110). One edge of the passage (150) is located close enough to one of the exterior walls of the container (110) so as to allow the handle (140) to accommodate a human hand. The passage (150) may pass straight through from one side of the container (110) to the other. Alternately, the passage (150) may bend or otherwise be shaped to form the handle (140). The passage (150) accommodates the hand of the user and facilitates the application of force through the device to the scrubbing element (130), allowing the device to be used to manipulate the fluid for some purpose, such as cleaning. The passage (150) may include features to enhance the user's hold on the device.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a cleaning system with an integrated scrubbing element (130) according to another example of the principles described herein. The cleaning system includes a container (110) with an opening (FIG. 1, 120) for dispensing material. A scrubbing element (130) is connected to the container (110) near the opening (FIG. 1, 120). The container includes handles (140) defined by a passage (150) through a portion of the container (110) and an exterior wall of the container (110). A portion of the container (110) may be flat or otherwise configured for resting on a surface.

As described above, a handle (140) may include grip elements to enhance ease of use of the container (110). For example, grip elements in the form of ridges and finger grooves may be seen on the left handle (140-1) and right handle (140-2) of the container (110), respectively. As discussed above, grip elements may be used to make the handles (140) easier to hold.

In some examples, the container (110) may include a cap (260). The cap (260) covers the opening (FIG. 1, 120). In this example, the cap (260) has the scrubbing element (130) attached on top of the cap (260). In some examples, a hinge allows the cap (260) to open while coupling the cap (260) to the container (110). A removable seal (270) may cover the opening (FIG. 120) and may be disposed between the cap (260) and the container (110). During use, the cap (260) may be opened and the seal (270) removed to allow fluid to be added to or removed from the container (110). In some examples, the cap (260) may be opened and closed multiple times. For example, the cap (260) may include a latch that is a reversible lock that may be reopened to allow refilling of the container (110). In other examples, the latch holds the cap (260) shut after the seal (270) has been removed. The latch may be a snap fit element that holds the cap (260) closed. The latch prevents the contents from spilling out by securing the cap (260) to the container (110). A space may be provided in or under the cap (260) to direct fluid from the container (110) to various points of the scrubbing element (130) to facilitate distribution of the fluid over the scrubbing surface. In this sense, the space acts as a manifold. In other words, the cap (260) allows fluid to pass from the opening (FIG. 1, 120) to the scrubbing element (130) or outside the container (110) after the removable seal (270) has been removed. The cap (260), without the removable seal (270), does not keep the opening (120) closed.

As described above in some examples, the container (110) may not dispense fluid when static, but upon additional pressure exerted on the fluid inside, may dispense fluid. Accordingly, a portion of the container (110) may be deformable. For example, when a deformable portion of the container (110) is deformed, an increased pressure inside the container (110) may cause material to dispense from the opening (FIG. 1, 120). The deformable portion of the container (110) may be marked with an indicator to indicate where to push to dispense material. In some examples, a portion of the container (110) that is deformable is designed to be flexed more easily than other portions of the container (110) to facilitate dispensing of the fluid. The handle (140) may be the deformable portion. However, the deformable portion may be located near the thumb when the handle (140) is gripped or another portion of the container (110). A portion of the container (110) may be pleated or otherwise shaped to facilitate deforming.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are a front view and side view of a device with an integrated scrubbing element (130) according to another example of the principles described herein. As depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the handle (140) is located near the top of the figures. The handle (140) acts as part of the container (110) holding fluid. An opening (120) connects the container (110) to an area between the container (110) and the scrubbing element (130). This allows the dispensed fluid to be dispersed over the scrubbing element (130). A number of paths (not shown) allow the fluid to travel through the scrubbing element (130) to the scrubbing surface (bottom of FIG. 3A) of the scrubbing element (130).

As described above, the handle (140) may be one location for hand placement while using the device. However, the device may also be gripped by placing the hand through the passage (150) that forms the handle (140) and grabbing the body of the device. This allows the device to accommodate different sized hands.

As described above, the device may include a loofah or exfoliating loofah as the scrubbing element (130). In one example, a knob or feature (390) for securing the loofa is provided on one side or both sides of the scrubbing element (130). An elastic band (380) with an opening on one or both ends is threaded through the loofah and the opening slipped over the knob or feature (390), securing the loofah against the device. The device may have one, two, three, or more lengths of loofah attached to the scrubbing element (130). The scrubbing element (130) under the loofah may be textured to help hold the loofah in place and provide force when scrubbing. In some examples, the bands (380) are fixed in place and cannot be easily adjusted. In other examples, the bands (380) may be slipped off the knob to allow rotation or replacement of the loofah. The bands (380) may be composed of a non-elastic material that is approximately the length of the loofah with shorter elastic elements connecting the bands (380) to the device. The non-elastic portions of the securement bands (380) may include variable thickness or texturing to improve scrubbing with the device.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a device with an integrated scrubbing element (130) according to another example of the principles described herein. The device has a handle (140), passage (150), container (110), and scrubbing elements (130). In this example, the scrubbing elements (130) are pieces of loofah or sponge attached to a textured surface. Loofah is a natural sponge-like product from a cucumber-like vegetable that includes a hollow tunnel (or lumen) when dried and prepared. The pieces of loofah are oriented with the lumen of the loofah extending from the surface of the container (110). The pieces of loofah are placed over nubs on the surface of the container (110). The nubs and loofah both act as scrubbing elements (130), with the nubs providing support for the pieces of loofah. In one example, the nubs are tapered to reduce the stiffness difference between the nub and the loofah. The nubs may include one or more paths from the opening to dispense material into the pieces of loofah.

The pieces of loofah can be secured to the container (110) in a variety of ways, for instance, a thread, filament, elastic, rod, pin, or similar component (not shown) may pass through the wall of the loofah into the nub to hold the loofah in place. The securing pieces can be an elastic band, filament, twine, thread, staple, collet, or similar mechanical element that wraps around one or more nubs and loofah pieces. The loofah can also be attached with adhesive between the nub and lumen of the loofah, in which case the nubs may include texturing or features to improve the adhesive bond strength. In another example, a grip or similar feature is molded into the container (110) near the nub to hold the loofah piece in place.

In one example, the handle (140) includes a button used to increase the pressure in the container (110) and cause fluid to dispense onto the scrubbing element (130). Alternately, the button can be located elsewhere on the container (110)

While multiple exemplary embodiments have been presented in the foregoing detailed description of the invention, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment of the invention, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims and their legal equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for dispensing a material, the device comprising: a container to hold material to be dispensed; an opening in the container through which material in the container is dispensed; a scrubbing element covering the opening to incorporate the material into a surface; and a handle integral to the container.
 2. The device of claim 1, in which the scrubbing element comprises at least one of: a loofah, an exfoliating loofah, a sponge, a scrub brush, a mophead, a feather duster, and a number of irregularities.
 3. The device of claim 2, in which the scrubbing element is a loofah.
 4. The device of claim 1, in which the container includes a polyethylene polymer material.
 5. The device of claim 1, in which a longitudinal axis of the handle is parallel to a long axis of the container.
 6. The device of claim 1, in which the handle further includes a grip element to enhance friction between a user and the container.
 7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a valve to regulate a flow of the fluid through the opening.
 8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cap to cover the opening, in which: the scrubbing element is disposed on the cap; the cap comprises a hole through which the fluid flows through the cap; and the opening is covered with a removable seal.
 9. The device of claim 1, in which the material is a fluid, in which the fluid comprises at least one of: a body wash, a soap, a shampoo, a conditioner, a dye, an insect repellant, a sunscreen, a topical medication, a baby oil, a mineral oil, a plant oil, a hard surface cleaner, a household cleanser, a bathroom cleaner, and a duster.
 10. A system for applying a fluid to skin, the system comprising: a container comprising: an opening for dispensing a fluid; a handle integrally formed in the container, the handle being defined by a channel through a portion of the container; and a scrubbing element connected to the container near the opening, in which the fluid dispensed from the opening contacts the scrubbing element.
 11. The system of claim 10, in which the fluid comprises at least one of: a body wash, a soap, a shampoo, a conditioner, a dye, an insect repellant, a sunscreen, a topical medication, a baby oil, a mineral oil, and a plant oil.
 12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a second handle formed in the container.
 13. The system of claim 12, in which the second handle is a different size than the first handle.
 14. The system of claim 12, in which a portion of the container is flat.
 15. A device for dispensing a material comprising: a container to hold a material; an opening in the container through which the material is dispensed; a sealed passage passing through the container that forms a handle in a portion of the container; and a scrubbing element to incorporate the material onto a surface, in which: the scrubbing element is disposed near the opening; and material dispensed from the container contacts the scrubbing element.
 16. The device of 15, further comprising a fluid disposed within the container.
 17. The device of 16, in which the opening is sized so fluid from the container is not dispensed unless the container is deformed.
 18. The device of 16, in which a portion of the container is deformable to dispense fluid from the container.
 19. The device of claim 18, in which a deformable portion of the container is marked by an indicator to indicate where the device may be deformed to dispense fluid from the container
 20. The device of 18, in which the handle is deformable to dispense fluid from the container. 